Michael Sorlie is a Maddock, ND native and a graduate of Maddock High School. Michael graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. While at UND, he student taught at Thompson Public School and served as the assistant boys basketball coach for the Tommies for two seasons. His first job upon graduation from UND was as a one-on-one paraprofessional at Thompson.

Mr. Sorlie began his career as a 6th Grade teacher at Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock Public School. While at HMB, he was the head girls basketball coach, the head boys basketball coach, co-head track coach, as well as the athletic director. After teaching at HMB, Mr. Sorlie accepted a position as a Graduate Assistant within the Education Department at North Dakota State University. He served in this capacity for two years while obtaining his Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from NDSU in 2004.

In 2004, he was hired as the Elementary Principal at Cannon Ball Elementary School within the Solen/Cannon Ball School District. While at Solen/Cannon Ball, Mr. Sorlie served as the head girls basketball coach, the head boys basketball coach, co-head track coach, elementary boys basketball coach, and athletic director within the Dakota Oyate co-op. He received District and Region Coach of the Year awards while coaching the Dakota Oyate boys team. He was honored with seven star quilts from the students and community members during his time at Solen/Cannon Ball.

Mr. Sorlie was hired as the Elementary Principal and Athletic Director at North Sargent Public School in Gwinner in 2007, and still holds these positions today. He has taken on a variety of roles within activities at North Sargent, such as head girls basketball coach, head boys golf coach, elementary boys basketball coach, and elementary girls basketball coach. He received a variety of District and Region Coach of the Year awards while coaching girls basketball. He was a Class B representative on the NDHSAA Basketball Advisory committee for four years, and is currently the NDHSCA Class B Chair for the Lion’s All-Star committee. In 2014, Mr. Sorlie was selected by his peers as the District 1 Co-Athletic Director of the Year, the Region 1 Athletic Director of the Year, and the North Dakota Class B Athletic Director of the Year. In 2018, he was selected as the North Dakota Association of Elementary School Principals Region V Principal of the Year.

Mr. Sorlie is currently an active member of NDIAAA, NIAAA, NDCEL, NDAESP, NDHSCA, NDOA, and SECA. He was elected to the NDHSAA Board of Directors in 2016, and will complete his four-year term during the summer of 2020. He is an LTC instructor within the NDIAAA, and has also served on the NDIAAA Board as the Southeast region representative for four years. He is currently the Awards Chair on the NDIAAA Board, and recently served as the President of the NDIAAA. He earned his Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) designation in April 2009 and his Certified Master Athletic Administrator (CMAA) designation in November 2015. Mr. Sorlie has been a member of the NDOA since 2004, and has officiated basketball at the high school and collegiate level.

Mr. Sorlie is the proud father of Carter, a fun loving four-year-old boy. They live together in Gwinner and enjoy all of the activities that parenting presents. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, cooking/baking, family time, and watching sporting events. He is planning on visiting all of the Major League baseball stadiums, and has three left to see before the adventure starts over again.